Movies Update: ‘Red, White & Royal Blue’ and More

How the strikes are playing out in Hollywood and in theaters.

View in browser|nytimes.com Continue reading the main story August 11, 2023 By Stephanie Goodman Film Editor Hi, film fans! It's been an amazing summer at the multiplex, thanks to "Barbenheimer." I myself went to see "Barbie" a second time and could only find one showing that day that wasn't sold out. But as the summer winds down, it feels like we're about to hit a record-scratch moment, when the impact of the Hollywood writers' and actors' strikes will suddenly become much clearer. Some fall films have been delayed to next year (like "Drive-Away Dolls," directed by a solo Ethan Coen), and there's a lot of speculation in the industry about whether more releases will follow. Partly it's a matter of marketing: with stars and writers prohibited from giving interviews, it's harder to get the word out about a movie. A handful of releases are getting waivers from SAG-AFTRA, the actors' union, that will allow performers to work. But my colleague Nicole Sperling notes there has been a lot of confusion surrounding these exceptions, and adds that "some wonder about the propriety of working on a production when so many in the industry — the writers have been on strike since May — are walking the picket lines." Will there be a resolution soon? Right now it doesn't seem likely. Both the producers and the striking artists seem committed to their positions. The filmmaker Justin Simien ("Haunted Mansion") explained to my colleague Melena Ryzik why he supported the walkout. "I don't think people really understand how tenuous a career in Hollywood is and just how many jobs you have to work," he told her and cited the example of "Dear White People," his streaming series that ended in 2021. "I couldn't even buy a house in L.A. when I completed it. It took stringing together multiple jobs, some of which never work out." While we wait to see how the situation plays out, there are new movies to check out, including a handful of Critics' Picks, like the documentaries "Aurora's Sunrise" and "King Coal," and the hairdressing mystery "Medusa Deluxe," which the critic Jeannette Catsoulis calls "wildly impressive." Whatever you decide to watch, enjoy the movies! Jonathan Prime/Amazon 'Red, White & Royal Blue' Review: Keep Calm and Pine On This film, about an American president's son who falls for a British prince, starts with a giddy premise and has the derring-do to succeed. By Amy Nicholson Netflix 'Heart of Stone' Review: Mission Improbable Gal Gadot plays an international superspy who teams up with an all-powerful computer in this ludicrous and derivative Netflix espionage thriller. By Calum Marsh Continue reading the main story ADVERTISEMENT CRITICS' PICKS Robbie Ryan//A24 CRITIC'S PICK 'Medusa Deluxe' Review: Curl Up and Die A gruesome attack on a stylist upends a hairdressing contest in this invigoratingly bold debut. By Jeannette Catsoulis Curren Sheldon CRITIC'S PICK 'King Coal' Review: Heavy Is the Crown A coal miner's daughter turned filmmaker profiles a region's relationship with fossil fuel and presents a eulogy for a way of life. By Robert Daniels Be For Films CRITIC'S PICK 'Vera' Review: No Faking In this hybrid film by Tizza Covi and Rainer Frimmel, the actress Vera Gemma portrays a complex and vulnerable version of herself. By Austin Considine ANATOMY OF A SCENE Paramount Pictures ANATOMY OF A SCENE Watch the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles' First Fight in 'Mutant Mayhem' The director Jeff Rowe narrates an animated sequence from his film. By Mekado Murphy MOVIE REVIEWS Rainer Bajo/Universal Pictures/Amblin Entertainment 'The Last Voyage of the Demeter' Review: Blood on the Water This horror movie, based on a chapter from Bram Stoker's "Dracula," is set on a cargo ship unwittingly transporting an evil demon. By Natalia Winkelman Vertical Entertainment/Roadside Attractions 'The Pod Generation' Review: Motherhood, Optimized This satire on our techno-capitalist future is best enjoyed the way it's made — without taking itself too seriously. By Brandon Yu Dragon 5/Paramount+ 'Love in Taipei' Review: A Breezy Coming-of-Age Story In this romantic comedy set in Taiwan, a young American finds herself torn between a parent-approved boy wonder and a rebellious slacker. By Jourdain Searles Ian Reid/Showtime 'All Up in the Biz' Review: A Documentary That's Got What You Need Biz Markie created hits like "Just a Friend" and influenced a wide range of rappers, many of whom remember him fondly in this Showtime documentary. By Glenn Kenny Cohen Media Group 'Between Two Worlds' Review: Juliette Binoche Goes Undercover In this social-justice drama, the French actress plays an investigative journalist who poses as a cleaner to expose worker exploitation. By Beatrice Loayza MTV Documentary Films 'The Eternal Memory' Review: A Love That Lasts When Recollections Fade This documentary from Maite Alberdi looks at how a couple faces one partner's Alzheimer's diagnosis. By Ben Kenigsberg Firelight Footage/ABC/Hulu 'Sound of the Police' Review: The Silence and the Fury This documentary dives into the nation's outrageous history of the policing of Black citizens by touching on the 2022 killing of Amir Locke. By Lisa Kennedy Linda Kallerus/Bleecker Street 'Jules' Review: Close Encounters of the Lonely Kind Ben Kingsley plays an elderly man struggling with a fading memory when an extraterrestrial crashes into his life. By Claire Shaffer Continue reading the main story ADVERTISEMENT NEWS & FEATURES Roland Moreno The Toughest 'Barbie' Critics Are Barbie Collectors These longtime fans of the doll had high expectations, and concerns, for her big-screen live-action debut. By Esther Zuckerman What Distinguishes a Neil Breen Film? Neil Breen. The producer, writer, director and star has made five imaginative, bewildering low-budget paranormal thrillers, spurring both ridicule and awe. By Rumsey Taylor Amanda Edwards/Getty Images Confusion in Hollywood as Some Productions Are Allowed to Continue The striking actors' union is granting waivers to some projects not affiliated with the major studios, but questions persist about who qualifies and why. By Nicole Sperling Tracy Nguyen for The New York Times Justin H. Min, Travel Writer? The Path Not Taken for a Rising Star Success came relatively easy — until he tried acting. For a moment, journalism seemed more viable. But now he's the lead in "Shortcomings." By Matt Stevens Chuck Zlotnik/Disney Justin Simien on Releasing 'Haunted Mansion' in the Midst of a Strike The director found himself alone on the promotional tour because his stars couldn't take part. Still, as a writer, he's made connections on the picket line. By Melena Ryzik Gabriella Demczuk for The New York Times William Friedkin, Director of 'French Connection' and 'Exorcist,' Dies at 87 He made his name with two of the biggest box-office hits of the 1970s. But despite some later successes, he never regained his early acclaim. By William Grimes STREAMING RECOMMENDATIONS BET+ Five Action Movies to Stream Now From films with swift swordplay to those with mega-tornadoes, this month's action picks go big. By Robert Daniels Warner Brothers Entertainment, via Associated Press Nine Provocative William Friedkin Movies to Stream The director specialized in grimy thrillers and social dramas that occasionally courted controversy. By Scott Tobias Andrew Cooper/Miramax Films The Best Movies on Amazon Prime Video Right Now New films, and classics, just keep coming, but you don't have to drill down to find the finest selections to stream. We'll do the heavy lifting. You press play. By Jason Bailey Continue reading the main story ADVERTISEMENT How are we doing? We'd love your feedback on this newsletter. Please email thoughts and suggestions to moviesupdate@nytimes.com. Like this email? Forward it to your friends, and let them know they can sign up here. Continue reading the main story Need help? Review our newsletter help page or contact us for assistance. You received this email because you signed up for Movies Update from The New York Times. To stop receiving Movies Update, unsubscribe. To opt out of other promotional emails from The Times, including those regarding The Athletic, manage your email settings. To opt out of updates and offers sent from The Athletic, submit a request. 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